{"id":125132,"date":"2022-03-15T11:00:21","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T11:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=125132"},"modified":"2023-03-11T09:11:43","modified_gmt":"2023-03-11T09:11:43","slug":"sleeplessness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/sleeplessness.htm","title":{"rendered":"Is Sleeplessness Ruling Your Life? Why Insomnia Cures Fail"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"sleeplessness\"

photo by Cottonbro from Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n

by Andrea M. Darcy<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Sleeplessness can become a lifestyle.<\/strong> It slowly changes our ability to cope<\/a>. If it goes on long enough, even our personality can start to feel different. <\/span><\/p>\n

And for those who truly suffer,<\/strong> insomnia cures<\/a> can feel an endless letdown. <\/span><\/p>\n

Why don\u2019t they work for some of us? <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Insomnia cures for the masses <\/span><\/h2>\n

We stop using screens<\/a> a few hours before bed, our room is the recommended temperature. We\u2019ve changed our mattress and bought black out blinds. And yet here we are, wide awake again, or getting up very early<\/a> knowing we won’t get more sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The problem with this scenario is that is assumes that insomnia is an exterior <\/i>issue. When research consistently points out that sleeplessness is often an interior <\/i>issue, inextricably connected to our mental health.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But aren\u2019t my moods only bad because of my sleeplessness? <\/span><\/h2>\n

According to a survey by the Mental Health Foundation<\/a>,\u00a0 <\/span>almost half us of us here in the UK feel poor sleep is affecting our mental health. More than <\/strong>a third of us feel poor sleep leaves us with anxiety<\/a>, 43 per cent feel it gives them anger issues<\/a>, and 42 per cent claim it leaves them stressed<\/a> and in overwhelm. <\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, who hasn’t found that when we are <\/strong>anxious, stressed<\/a>, or angry<\/a>, it\u2019s hard to fall asleep? And for those who suffer major depressive disorder<\/a> or bipolar disorder<\/a>, sudden issues with sleep can signify they are about to have another episode. So it comes before the difficult moods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sleeplessness and mental health – chicken or egg? <\/span><\/h2>\n
\"sleeplessness\"

photo by Emin Umana for Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n

Researchers now see sleep and mental health issues as a<\/strong> \u2018bidirectional relationship\u2019, a bit like the chicken or egg conundrum. Sleep problems<\/a> can be a cause and a consequence of mental health challenges. <\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew Walker, neuroscientist and director at the <\/strong>Centre for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley, says:<\/p>\n

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\u201cI have not been able to discover a single major psychiatric condition in which sleep is normal. So I think sleep has a profound story to tell in both our understanding, our treatment, and maybe even ultimately our prevention of grave mental illness\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But how does all this help my insomnia? <\/span><\/h2>\n
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photo by Shvets Production for Pexels<\/p><\/div>\n

If constant sleeplessness is a problem it\u2019s worth taking a good, hard, and honest look at your mental health. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n